Committee on the Rights of the Child

Sixty-eighth session

12–30 January 2015

Item 4 of the provisional agenda

Consideration of reports of States parties

List of issues in relation to the report submitted by Turkmenistan under article 12, paragraph 1, of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography

The State party is requested to submit in writing additional, updated information (15 pages maximum), if possible before 15 October 2014.

The Committee may take up any aspects of children’s rights set out in the Optional Protocol during the dialogue with the State party.

Please provide statistical data (disaggregated by sex, age, urban and rural residence, ethnic origin and socioeconomic background) for 2011, 2012 and 2013 on:

(a)Reports of the sale of children (disaggregated by sale for purposes of sexual exploitation, forced labour or transfer of organs for profit), child prostitution and child pornography, together with information on the action taken in response to those reports, in particular prosecutions brought and penalties imposed;

(b)The number of child victims who have been given assistance, including reintegration or compensation.

In addition to the training courses provided on trafficking, please indicate whether specialized and systematic training has been provided to persons who are likely to come into contact with child victims of any of the offences covered in the Optional Protocol in the course of their professional duties, such as judges, prosecutors, social workers, health workers, members of the police force and the border police.

Please indicate whether the State party has established an interministerial mechanism to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Optional Protocol, and provide detailed information regarding the activities carried out by such mechanism.

Please indicate whether there is a mechanism in place in the State party to identify, detect and monitor children at risk of becoming victims of any of the offences under the Optional Protocol as well as measures taken to prevent children from becoming victims.

Please inform the Committee whether the draft National Plan of Action for Children includes any specific actions for preventing the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography. Please also inform the Committee on any programmes or strategies aimed at the prevention of all the offences under the Optional Protocol.

Please clarify whether all elements of crimes of sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography as defined in articles 2 and 3 of the Optional Protocol are covered by the Criminal Code. Please indicate the provision of the Criminal Code which prohibits improperly inducing consent, as an intermediary, for the adoption of a child in violation of applicable international legal instruments on adoption.

Please clarify whether legal entities would be accountable for involvement in crimes other than trafficking in persons that are covered bythe Optional Protocol.

Please inform the Committee about the mechanisms established to identify child victims of sale, child prostitution and child pornography. Please also elaborate on the measures taken to protect the rights and interests of child victims and witnesses of crimes under the Optional Protocol at all stages of criminal proceedings.

Please provide information on programmes for the rehabilitation and social reintegration of child victims of sale, child prostitution and pornography in the State party, and on the dissemination of information about such programmes to all victims.